Conveyer for use in heat treating furnaces



Aug. 15, 1933. H. HARR|$ 1,922,039

CONVEYER FOR USE IN HEAT TREATING FURNACES Filed Oct. 4, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I ebyQ/ d Z A 7" TOE/V5745 Q Aug. 15, 1933. H, HARR|$ 1,922,039

CONVEYER FOR USE IN HEAT TREATING FURNACES Fil ed Oct. 4, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .4 uli Patented Aug. 15, 1933" converse FOR USE when raram" oer-"ice IN HEAT TREAT G FURNAQES Henry E. Harris, Detroit, Mich.

Application October 4,1

' 11 Claims.

My invention relates to a means for conveying metallic members such as sheets, bars, rods and the like through a furnace maintaining high temperatures.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a roller type of conveying means for a heat treating furnace which will be self-adjusting to the varied temperature conditions within a furnace, i. e., will expand or contract without altering the axial alignment of said conveying means.

' Another object of the invention is the provision of means within the furnace for supporting the several parts of the expansible and contractible With the foregoing-objects inview my invention will be best understood from the illustrated embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, in which 1 Figure 1 is an elevational viewof one roller assembly mounted within a furnace;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on the line I 2-2 of Fig. 1;

' Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail of a modified form segment;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic end view of rality of roller assemblie's;'

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. I of a modified form of roller assembly;

.Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7, with dot and dash lines of end a plu- 5 indicating roller assemblies on each side and intermeshing with the assembly shown in Fig. 7;' v

Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of two of the segment hubs joined in driving relation;

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic plan view, showing a plurality of rolls in intermeshed relation.

By my invention I provide a conveying means within a furnace comprising a series 'of articulated rolls, placed one behind the other, each roll consisting of a plurality of segments joined in driving relation by interlocking hub members, with a clearance between the segments whereby the segments can expand freely in longitudinal direction when heated in use. In addition, a sunporting means is provided within the furnace beneath each roll segment to retain them in axial alignment during all furnace temperature changes. r v A conveyer in accordance with my invention preferably comprises a plurality of articulated relation shown in Figs. 1 and 6, each roll 10 con sisting of two end segments 14 and intermediate \segments 16. The intermediate segmefits 16 are preferably hollow cylinders, having centrally (5115- posed grooves 20 about the periphery thereof and end walls 21 and 22.

Hubs 23 having depressions 25, project outward from one end wall 21 of each segment, while in the opposite wall 22 there is an opening 24 and projecting portions or keys 26. When the segments are assembled, each hub 23 engages one of the said openings 24 in each adjacent segment and the segments are locked in driving relation to turn together by means of the engagement of the keys 26 with the depressions 25, but are free to move longitudinally upon expansion and contraction.

The end segments 14 are substantially the same as the intermediate segments 16, with this exception,they-are provided with conical extensions 28 formed integrally therewith which pass through openings 30 in the furnace walls 12 and have stub shafts 34 at the end of each extension, which are mounted in suitable bearings 36. The end walls 21 and 22, respectively, are replaced by the extensions 28, the extension 28 for the left hand bearing serving to replace end wall 21 and extension 28 for the right hand bearing replacing wall 22, as shown in Fig. 1.

Any suitable driving means may be employed such as gearing 38, or any other means which will produce a uniform rotation to each of the roller units.

To assure proper alignment of. the rolls 10, supporting members are provided which support each of the segments 14 and 16 within the furnace. This supporting structure comprises floor or other brackets 42 carrying two anti-friction rollers 44, the pintles 45 of which are carried in slots 46 of brackets. 42, provided with ample clearance to prevent binding. The anti-friction rollers 44 engage the segments 14 and 16 at the bottom of grooves 20 as shown in Figs. 1. and 2, and are so spaced as to provide a clearance 48 between each of the walls 21 and 22 of said segments 14 and 16. Clearance is also'left at 49 between the rollers 44 and the side walls of grooves 20. v

With thismeans of support within the furnace a true concentric rotation of the rolls is made possible, also, any expansion occurring in the individual segments due'to the high temperatures is taken up by the clearance between the said end walls of the individual segments, thereby prevent- 1 ing'buekling or the like. 10

The two end segments 14 may be divided, if desired,'as in Fig. 5 showing the right end segment. In such case the right half of such end segment comprises a conically shaped hollow member 28' having a stub shaft 34' at one end and a wall 33 at the other end thereof, said wall being provided with a hub projection 23' similar to the hubs 23, and functioning in the same way, the left half of the former end segment being in such case the equivalent of all of the intermediate segments 16. The left end segment can be similarly divided.

In some instances, a sheet of metal, passing over the rolls 10, will sag between the said rolls due to its soft condition after heat treatment. To avoid this, I have constructed rolls of the type shown in Fig. 7 which are adapted to intermesh in staggered relation, as shown in Fig. 10, thereby placing the points of contact over a well distributed area, and avoiding any possibility of the end. of a sheet being put through the furnace, getting down between the rolls.

This construction comprises a plurality of articulated rolls 50 comprising segments 52, formed with conically shaped sidewalls 54, and having on the periphery two curved portions 56--5 6 providing a two-point contact for each segment 52 with the under surface of the moving work. Axial hubs 58 and 60 project from each of the cone shaped walls 54, hubs 58 having additional non-circular hub projections 62 similar in shape to the hub 23 of the type shown in Fig. 1. An opening 64, similar to the opening 24 is provided in the end wall of the opposite hubs 60, which is of form adapted to receive the hub projection 62, retaining same in driving engagement as shown in Fig. 9.

Rims 66 provided on the segments 52 near the periphery thereof are adapted to engage four rollers 68, two for each rim, mounted in brackets '70, similar to the brackets 42, said brackets '70 being spaced at a predetermined distance to provide spaces '72 for expansion such as in the type shown in Fig. 1.

Shafts '74 are provided on the end segments which pass through openings '76, in the furnace walls 12', and which are mounted in bearings 78, preferably located outside of the furnace, and one end of the roll may be provided with a gear or any other means for driving the rolls uniformly in one direction.

To insure against scale liberated from sheets being treated from getting in between the roller sections and the rotary bearing members 44, 68 I cause a scraper of preferably knife-edged formation extending upwardly to engage the rollers on the downwardly moving sides thereof to remove any scale picked up from the sheet and prevent its being passed into the bearing surface of the rollers. Gravity or other means may be re.- lied on to keep the scraper in engagement with the roller.

I have shown such a scraper 80 in Fig. 2 pivotally supported at 82 and having its knife edge 84 kept in engagement with the roller by gravity, though it is obvious that other modes of keeping the scraper in engagement with the downwardly moving part of the roller may be resorted to, if desired.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A conveyer adapted for use in a heat treating ing furnace comprising articulated rolls, each roll comprising a plurality of segments spaced apart to permit expansion, centrally disposed grooves in the periphery of said segments, rollers adapted to engage said grooves, brackets to support said rollers, means on each segment for securing same in axial driving relation with the adjacent segment, end segments, and means for supporting same outside of the furnace.

2. A conveyer adapted for use in a heat treating furnace comprising articulated rolls, each roll comprising a plurality of hollow cylindrical segments provided with hubs having depressions which are adapted to engage openings in adjacent segments in axial driving relation, centrally disposed grooves in the periphery of said segments, rollers adapted to engage said grooves, and brackets to support said rollers beneath the segments and retain said segments in spaced relation and axial alignment.

' 3. A conveyer adapted for use in a heat treating furnace comprising articulated rolls, each roll comprising a plurality of double conical shaped segments, means for securing said segments in axial driving relation, rims spaced apart on the conical surfaces of said segments, rollers adapted to engage said rims, and brackets beneath said segments to support the rollers, whereby to retain the segments in spaced relation and axial alignment.

i. A conveyer adapted for use in a heat treating furnace comprising articulated rolls, each roll comprising a plurality of hollow double conical shaped segments, hubs projecting from said segments in axial alignment, one hub on each segment having a reduced hub part with a depressed portion adapted to engage, in driving relation, an opening in one hub of the adjacent segment, projecting shafts on the end segments mounted in outside bearings, and means to support each roll within a furnace and retain the hub ends of same in spaced relation and axial alignment.

5. A conveyer for use in heat treating furnaces comprising end bearings, and a roll supported at the ends in said bearings, and including aligned segments, said segments having means interengaging each other to cause joint rotation of the segments, and each intermediate segment being supported from the end bearings through the seg-.- ments and interengaging means at the opposite sides thereof, and auxiliary means disposed below the segments for supporting the same.

6. A conveyer for use in heat treating furnaces comprising a roll including a plurality of segments each having an integral axial portion telescoping into the contiguous segment to form a substantially aligned structure and secure the segments together for joint rotation, means for supporting the roll at the ends thereof, and antifriction means disposed below each segment intermediate the joints for supporting the same against sagging.

7. A conveyer roll for use in heat treating furnaces comprising a plurality of aligned segments having telescoping axial joints interengaging to prevent movement of the sections out of axial alignment relative to each other and to secure the same for joint rotation, and means below the roll for supporting the same at opposite sides of each joint.

8. A conveyer for use in heat treating furnaces comprising a roll having a plurality of aligned segments, axial means integral therewith for connecting the same together against movement out of axial alignment relative to each other and for joint rotation, means for supporting the segments at the ends, and means below the segments for supplementing the connecting means in retaining the segments in alignment intermediate theend supports, said connecting means and said supporting means constituting the sole means for retaining the segments in alignment;

9. A conveyer for use in heat treating furnaces comprising a roll including a plurality of segments having telescopic connections serving to support the segments from each other and cause 5 joint rotation thereof, said segments being spaced apart to allow relative expansion at the telescopic connections, and antitriction means below salclments relative to each other, and serving to cause joint rotation of the segments, and rollers disposed below and interengaging each segment to support the same against sagging and prevent axial movement thereof relative to each other.

11. A conveyer adapted for use in a heat treating furnace comprising end bearings, a roll sup ported thereby and including a plurality of h01== low segments each having a figure of eight axial hub portion telescopically received into a corresponding opening in the adjacent segment to connect the segments together for joint I rotation, and allowing relative expansion of the segments, and means for supporting said segments against sagging. 

